28 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
has deformed them instead of presenting a faithful 
delineation. 
After the powers of the watch had been explained 
to the Rajah, a little gunpowder was presented to him, 
with the strength of which he seemed surprised; as 
that made by the natives is far less efficacious than 
the powder manufactured in Europe. A charge was 
put into the hands of his gun-bearer to load his mas- 
ter’s matchlock with; but the man smiled at the small- 
ness of the quantity and insisted upon doubling it. 
He did so and the result was a recoil that instantly 
laid him on his back; almost dislocated his shoulder 
and so damaged the matchlock that he was obliged to 
put it into the hands of an armourer. The astonished 
servitor was now experimentally convinced that the 
strength of the powder had not been exaggerated ; 
though he confessed it with a very rueful countenance. 
He affected; however, to treat the matter lightly, but 
the rigidity of his smile betrayed the counterfeit, 
while the grin upon the features of the bystanders 
showed that they had little sympathy for his misfor- 
tune. The Rajah was a good deal amused at the issue 
of his servant’s obstinacy, and we shortly after parted 
with mutual expressions of kindness and good wishes. 
Before we quitted Serinagur we visited the Rajah’s 
stable, in which was a beautiful animal of the bo- 
vine species, called a yak. It is the domestic bull 
of Tibet. I do not believe that a single specimen 
of this creature now exists in Europe. In Tibet it is 
found both in the wild and tame state, though chiefly 
in the latter. As the wealth of the Tartar hordes con- 
sists principally in their cattle, they have large herds. 
